


Stars and Stripes and a Big Blue Box

by vassalady



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Merlin (TV), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multiple Crossovers, Reincarnation, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-29
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-19 20:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/577312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Steve Rogers find themselves teaming up with the Doctor and Donna Noble to travel through space and time. (And Merlin will never tell any of them that he bought that sexy Captain America calendar.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stars and Stripes and a Big Blue Box

**Author's Note:**

> This is an indulgent fic that I'm writing as a birthday present to myself. Therefore, expect both silliness and drama, as this is basically everything I want and anything I want to happen does. All tags listed above are subject to change as I write this story.  
> The main point of this is to be fun. I am not overly concerned about the quality of the writing itself.

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, was hot. There was no denying that. And Merlin was not going to deny that he perhaps-maybe-definitely had purchased his calendar, which included twelve full color, high resolution photos of Captain America in various stages of undress. The one with just the gloves and shield was Merlin's favorite. Unfortunately, it was November's picture, and it was only May.

May was a good picture, too, though. Steve was taking off his shirt, body glistening with sweat.

Merlin and his right hand might have been very busy with each other as of late.

Sometimes, Merlin imagined meeting him. But of course that would never happen, not unless Merlin moved to New York and became a superhero. Like that was going to happen.

Because even though Merlin could do magic guys like Merlin didn't become superheroes. (Well, there were the X-Men, but again, Merlin wasn't going to a special mutant school. Only his mum and Will even knew he was a mutant, and he was going to keep it that way.)

He was resigned to drooling over his calendar.

Things could have been worse. He could have been a nobody and not been able to summon his box of tissues from across the room with just a thought.

Merlin glanced at the clock. He had twenty minutes before he had to leave for work. Perfect.

"Steve..." Merlin muttered under his breath.

**

"You aren't still sleeping, are you?" Mithian said, her hands on her hips.

Arthur looked up at her, trying to figure out exactly why she was in his room. "Umm... what time is it?"

"Afternoon, you dolt," she said, but she had a grin on her face.

"Whatever," Arthur said, and he pulled his pillow over his face.

"Arthur!" Mithian snatched the pillow away and hit him with it.

"Ow," he said, out of protest rather than any pain. He sat up and glared at her with as much passion as he could muster at the moment. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Mithian tossed the pillow onto the other side of the bed and settled down on the edge with a smile that Arthur didn't like. "You promised to get me a present today. Since you forgot my birthday last week." She poked him gently in the arm a couple times. "And I'm going to make sure it's expensive." She said this with a certain glee that made Arthur groan.

She would milk him for everything he had. "My dad's going to cut me off if I spend too much this month," he said. He held up the comforter over his chest. "Shoo, I need to change."

With a roll of her eyes, Mithian said, "As if I haven't seen you buck naked. Not that I wanted to." But she left the room without further comment.

Fuck. Arthur just wanted to sleep. But if he didn't get up and dressed soon, Mithian would be back, and she would drag him naked through the streets if necessary.

Why was he friends with such an evil woman?

**

Merlin was fairly certain that nothing came from ever being a shop boy. But he tried to think of it as just a stepping stone in his eventual road to greatness. Whatever that greatness would be. He tore at the box with his nails but it wouldn't open.

Gwen smiled at him, but it was a little strained. "Here," she said, "let me help you with that." She took a pair of scissors and sliced the tape. "There. That should be easier."

"I... probably could have figured that out," Merlin said with a wry grin.

Gwen's smile turned a little more genuine. She shook her head. "Whatever you say."

In his pocket, Merlin's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, but it was only a text from his mum.

Gwen peered over his shoulder, however, and exclaimed when she saw his wallpaper. "Is that Captain America?" She bent in closer to Merlin to see the phone. "Is that naked Captain America?"

Merlin blushed. He stuffed the phone in his pocket. "So what if it is?"

Gwen looked at him for a moment before breaking out into a grin. "Do you have his calendar?" She put a hand on her chest. "I have to thank whatever charity he did that for. He should be illegal."

"November's my favorite month," Merlin replied.

Gwen tutted. "The best is August. Those shorts. That ass!" She made a gargled noise that Merlin could easily translate into all the sexual frustration Steve Rogers created in both of them.

Merlin laughed, feeling good and relaxed. He hadn't been working at the shop long, and he had been awkward at best around Gwen.

The shop door rang, and a couple walked in. The woman was saying, "-then just ask someone!"

The man huffed at her as he straightened his pinstripe suit jacket. "Alright," he said. "No need to get angry." He ignored the woman's snort of disdain and waved cheerily at Merlin and Gwen. "Excuse me," he said, "but could you tell me where the Avengers are?"

"Uh, New York?" Merlin said.

The man's face fell. "Really? But I thought for sure-" He stopped and took a closer look at Merlin. "You're not..." His eyes widened, and his face broke out into a grin. "You are! You're-"

"That's it, space boy," the woman said. She grabbed his arm and hauled him toward the door. "One more wrong time, and I'm going to fly the bloody thing."

"Donna, wait, you don't understand-"

"Shut it!"

They left the shop just as quickly as they had come. Merlin and Gwen looked at each other and shrugged.

It was a slow afternoon. After only a few more customers, another pair came in a few hours later. They were young, both very attractive. They came in playfully sniping at each other.

"Just a little bottle of perfume, it's nothing!" the girl said.

"I already bought you a dress," the boy said. "Do you really need a 75 pound bottle of perfume?"

"Arthur," the girl said, giving the boy a little shove, "do I need to remind you that you forgot my birthday?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, how many times and ways can I say it, Mithian?"

With a giggle and a wink, she said, "When your pockets have run dry."

Gwen lent over to Merlin and whispered, "You want them or should I?"

Merlin wouldn't mind dealing with them. This Arthur was certainly easy on the eyes, rakish blond hair, strong jaw. He reminded Merlin a little of Captain America. A rich, young, English Captain America, but that was being more nitpicky than was necessary. 

Before Merlin could reply, the couple were already at the counter and addressing both of them.

"Don't show her anything too expensive, yeah?" Arthur said to Merlin.

"Hey!" Mithian tapped him in the chest with the back of her hand. "You shush." She zeroed in on Gwen with a grin. She leaned in a little and breathed in deeply. "Mmm, I do like what you are wearing. May I ask what it is?"

"What?" Gwen said, and her cheeks flushed. "It's just-"

"Do I need to remind you about your girlfriend?" Arthur cut in. He sounded smug, with his arms crossed.

Mithian turned to Arthur with a wink. "It's just some harmless flirting," she said.

Gwen coughed. "While I'm flattered," she began, sounding a little helpless, but also pleased, "I myself have someone. A boyfriend I mean. Not a girlfriend. Not that that's a bad thing, I mean, I'm just not gay. I mean-" She threw her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, never mind me. Um, do you need help with anything?"

But instead of taking any offense, Mithian laughed. "You are a cute one. Such a shame."

Arthur let out a frustrated sigh.

Somehow, when Mithian and Arthur left, having spent only 50 pounds, Gwen still ended up with Mithian's number.

"Just for drinks as friends," she told Gwen. "And you're invited, too." She directed this at Merlin.

"Well, this has been an interesting afternoon," Merlin said.

Gwen looked at the number in her phone. "I can honestly say I've never made friends with someone like this before," she said.

"You don't have to meet her if you don't want to."

"Yeah, but-" Gwen gestured with her phone, unable to find any words. "Well, you should come to. Meet that Arthur again." She grinned and jumped on that thought. "I saw the look you were giving him."

"What?" Merlin shook his head. "No, no, I was not giving anyone a look."

Gwen jabbed him in the ribs. "I think you have a type."

"I definitely do not have a type."

**

Merlin definitely had a type.

And when he and Arthur started going out and then when they started having sex, Merlin felt just a little guilty, like he was cheating on Steve.

 _I'm not using him to replace you,_ he thought up at his calendar. _I'm not, honest!_

And Steve Rogers just continued to grin down at him, saluting, wearing much too tight a shirt. And maybe the thought of running his hands over Steve's magnificent pectorals and pert nipples did make Merlin come just a little harder than he normally would have.

(Not that Arthur didn't have nice pecs and nipples. They just weren't Captain America's.)


End file.
